Growing concerns for Nigeria’s leather sector
Director general of Nigeria’s Raw Materials Research and Development (RMRDC) organisation, Professor A Onwualu, has expressed disappointment over the development of the country’s leather and leathergoods industry.
According to Professor Onwualu, the sector continues to perform badly despite government incentives introduced in recent years.
Speaking at a forum in Kano, he revealed that the industry had been in a state of decline for some time, leading to company closures and job losses. Prior to this, however, he claims the sector was of real importance to the country’s economy. One of the problems, he believes, is that many Nigerian businesses are involved in producing raw and semi-finished leather rather than finished goods. He says that if this were to be addressed, the industry has the potential to bounce back.
